To launch its newest product, the Windows Server 2008, Microsoft used new media as part of its marketing tools. For the first time, Microsoft used Facebook and blogs to help spread word about its latest product and product launch. Of course, Microsoft’s interest in Facebook is not something new. Nevertheless, it’s about time that such company giants join in on new media too.
I came across another interesting way of advertising. It’s a fundraising blog called 1001 Blogs for a charity in the UK. With a 5 pound donation, you can place a link on the site to your blog, so in a way, it’s like a form of advertising for your blog!
While many turn to Youtube for their entertainment needs, there are some who use Youtube for more sinister purposes. And while some upload Youtube videos showing inane, clean fun, there are others who use it to post offensive material such as porn and happy slapping videos.
According to a recent news report, about 10 hours of video footage is uploaded to the Youtube website every minute! Of course, that makes policing Youtube a tough job. And Steve Chen, Youtube’s co-founder has stated that it will not police the videos, as it’s basically impossible to do so. It relies on the Youtube to community to flag offensive materials, which it will then investigate to remove or not. We do recall orders by governments and even the Thai monarchy for Youtube to remove some material from the website before.
In a way, I guess this is really the age of participation and democracy, where the community becomes responsible for what the community watches.
Some other news of Youtube, which goes to show how popular it has become, it’s tied up with Vancouver Film School to have a video/film competiton with the winner offered a scholarship to the film school, and it even has it has its own Youtube video awards! Here’s a treat, the ‘Baby Laughing’, in the Adorable section, and ‘My name is Lisa’, the winning video in the Short Film category.
Now, ain’t that cool or what – Japan has recently announced that its newest ambassador is Doraemon, the much loved cartoon robotic cat that was created in 1969. Doraemon is known not just in Japan, but worldwide.
Doraemon will be Japan’s anime ambassador, and a Japanese official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs remarked, “by appointing Doraemon, we hope people in other countries will understand Japanese anime better and deepen their interest in Japanese culture.”
Doraemon’s role has been taken very seriously by the Japanese government that Doraemon, as represented by a person dressed as the earless, blue-and-white cat will get his official assignment letter from Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura in a ceremony!
For those who have not seen Doraemon, here’s a treat for you – the first episode of Doraemon.
There’s been much talk about how politicians or those aspiring to political positions have been using new media to reach out to the electorate.
Case in point would of course be Hillary and Obama. Not only have they posted videos of themselves on Youtube, but their supporters have been using the new media engine to further their cause.
Now, I did not watch Obama or Clinton live, and I also missed the telecast of their speeches on CNN, but thanks to Youtube, I can now follow their campaign trail and not just read, but actually watch them in action making their speeches!
Recently, there’s been much talk about Obama’s ‘We Can’ speech, that many are saying is reminiscent of Martin Luther King’s famous ‘I have a dream’ speech. In case you missed it, ie Obama’s speech, here it is:
Well, somehow, I don’t think that Obama has captured the same fiery and intense quality of King, but all the same, his speech has managed to re-ignite the interest and reverse the apathy of the youths in America in their country’s politics.
Lest I be accused of being partial, here’s something by Clinton:
Now, one very successful aspiring politician is Jeff Ooi, one of Malaysia’s known bloggers who took part in the Malaysian polls yesterday as a member of the opposition party, the Democratic opposition party. He was able to raise US$32 000 via an online fundraising campaign, and has managed to garner much support from his blog and other online activities that he’s won himself a seat in the Malaysian polls.
I wonder how much more support King would have gotten if he had new media in his day!
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